Hangman by Faye Kellerman

(HarperCollins, £20)

Back on form Faye Kellerman, award-winning novelist and New York Times bestselling author, combines two distinct parallel stories in her new book, with Lieutenant Decker, head of the LAPD Homicide Department, as the link between the two.

One story concerns the brutal murder of Adriana, a neonatal nurse and party girl discovered by a construction worker swinging from the rafters of an unfinished house, a cable round her neck.

The second features two of Kellerman’s favourite characters — ruthless hitman Chris Donatti, who now owns a string of brothels, and his wife Dr Terry McLaughlin. Both appeared in an earlier novel, Justice, with Decker as the detective on the case.

Terry reappears and contacts the lieutenant to ask for protection after being attacked by her husband. He reluctantly agrees, for old time’s sake, but then she goes missing. Chris, too, is nowhere to be found.

Decker is left wondering what he should do about their teenage son Gabe, a prodigy who plays the piano like an angel.

No doubt influenced by her own children growing up and leaving home, Kellerman has Decker and his loyal wife Rina also facing an ‘empty nest’.

With some trepidation they welcome Gabe, a “lost lonely boy”, into the stable sanctuary of their home until his parents are found.

But did the mother disappear of her own accord in order to protect the son?

At the same time, Decker and his team, hot on the trial of Adriana’s killer, go between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the ritzy, self-indulgent gambling capital of the world, only to be faced with yet another body and terrifying revelations.

For all the harshness of a society riddled with dope, promiscuous kinky sex and murder, Kellerman’s thriller is shot through with the love, consolation and warmth of the Decker household and the loyal support of his overworked, exhausted but dedicated team — highlighted by the moving surprise party they all set up for his 60th birthday in the station house.

The exuberance and sense of urgency, achieved through brilliant dialogue, moves the complicated plots forward as we follow the large cast of characters with their many and various needs, desires, hidden motives and divided loyalties, all underpinned by Kellerman’s grasp of the police, medicine, music and the youth culture of her home town.